#race poems on Hello Poetry

zxndrew Jan 2019

If I could I'd wash my skin off completely
drain it of all color
I'd do it to every person in this world
And then maybe we could all see each other for what we are
Human

if only we could all understand one another

#human #earth #love #skin #color #race

Stark Jan 2019

run. just run

that's what he said to me
before he fled the scene

whether it be from cowardice,
lurking in the darkest corners of the room

or the joyful victory lap
to triumphantly conclude a race

"Run. Just run"

whispered in the hallows of the haunted castle
screamed into the wind that slipped past you like a stranger, unbeknownst

warning of the foreboding nightmare you are about to be
awoken from

commanding your limbs to expel one last kick,
'till you fly away, far away

always remember, my friend

just run

run. just run.

any whovians out there? i gotchu.

#run #nightmare #warning #joy #triumph #race

Shlomo Jan 2019

'Black'

Part I

When in doubt blame the black man.
Doubly so if it rhymes with that man,
the crack man. The cap man, the rack man. We got you on a lock man.
Shoot em, **** em, **** em up, all the way up!
Till he's nothing but black, man.

*** what could be worse than being black?
A half-man.
Ubiquitous; everywhere, but fits in with no man.
Woman? The last said there's something off about that man.

Part II

All I did was swipe right, and now it feels like a wrong turn.
"Maybe it's just not your turn yet."
Or maybe I'm trying too hard, with nothing but bad bets.
Feelings of desperation, manipulation is **** near perpetual.
**** it. I'm just tryna get another quotable, man.

https://shlomotion.co/poems/black-and-right/

#black #race #place #feels #emotion #swipe #tinder #crack #man #woman

Kewayne Wadley Jan 2019

Window Seat (Ode To Langston Hughes)

I want the seat closest to the window.
Boat, plane, bus, passenger seat
Ma'am if you don't mind,
could you please scoot down
while I take my seat.
My feet are tired.
I have been standing on this concrete all day.
Almost sleep on my feet,
The same problems exist at the front of the bus
just as the back.
If you could see past me, you'd see.
Yet you turn your nose and grab your purse.
All I want is a seat to rest my feet.
Lay my head back and dream.
I don't want to wear your chains today.
The chains used to justify what you see on the news.
How you can't see anything past me.
How you've wrapped me in chain from shoulder to feet.
You don't try to hide your look,
I can feel the heat on the back of my neck.
How you pick and choose what you like,
There is no difference between you nor I,
Except color,
Other than gender.
You watch me from the corner of your eye while I take my seat.
There once was a time when I'd have no choice but to sit in the back.
Now that I take my seat in the front you move to the back
A look of disgust across your face.
Boat, plane, bus, passenger seat.
Ma'am if you could,
would you please scoot down
While I take my seat.
All I want is a seat beside the window without having to explain why
I want to sit this close to the window

#windowseat #seat #window #stress #race #anxiety #tired #dream #poetry #langstonhughes

Zywa Jan 2019

Berthweald

Every morning after the reveille
we hold a bicycle race
from the camp to the Meuse

At full speed I take
the last turn, right into
brand new barbed wire

invisible in the light of the sun
As proficient torturers two others
are colliding with me immediately

Flat tire, torn clothes
In a comic strip, I would now
be hanging horizontally

But I fall, rips in my flesh
gaping and bleeding
Bandages at breakfast

and then I lead my patrol again, what else
after the mysterious providence
of a farmer who's going to pasture on the river?

Collection "Bruises"

#scouting #bicycle #race

Ron Sparks Jan 2019

Bravery

Bravery
I thought I was brave
with the scars to prove it.
My legacy -
   broken bones,  split knuckles,
   black eyes and loose teeth.
   Adulation and respect.
I fought  both man and isms
Never backed down.
But a black man, driving
an Uber taught me the truth of
true bravery.
Harassed, insulted, threatened by
a low-life passenger,
  white racism covered in a cheap suit and tie,
he refused to take the bait.
He denied himself the pleasure of
      justified violence.
He told me his story -
and anger for him, righteous indignation,
crashed over me in furious waves.
I admonished him for not
confronting that mans ignorance
   with a closed and determined fist.
Never back down, right?
Gently, he spoke the truth of
   black men in America.
His eyes caught mine in the rearview mirror.
You, he said, are innocent until proven guilty.
Protected by a system that
oppresses me.
I am guilty - period - and would be lucky
to be arrested, not killed,
  in a confrontation with that bigot.
So he did nothing, let the swine in a tie
off at his destination,
and drove on - leaving that pig to
wallow in his hate.
His bravery earned him nothing.
No adulation. No respect. No recognition.
Nothing except another day of life.
Another day with his family.
In contrast - my lifetime of bravery.
A pale reflection, when set beside his truth.
He was brave, not I.
My self-styled bravery, forever
tainted
by my privilege.

#racism #race #violence #pittsburgh

stranger Dec 2018

______uNtItLeD______

but darling
i'm telling myself the same critics
never change anything though
                          °
darling I'm trying to find appellations
for every other meaningless thing
but in my world of correlation
meaningless seems to have a meaning
                           °
i'm a hideous liar
meaning i'm a pretty face selling words of fire
meaning that I deliberate about being shallow or loyal
meaning that i'm dying but I'm quite the survivor
                         °
I'm just as broken down as my whole generation
because we're all the same just deadlier situations
but I'll lie myself through since it's what I'm good at...
you know denying myself isnt that bad
                         °
I've built myself a cursed regime
where my wounded hands reside
because when I decide to hide
no-one will ever find me
                         °

I'm still the same unchanged, colorless and steeped of secrets
still part of the sick game of saving and killing heartstrings
                         °
but in the world where everyone's the same
in a world where you're a complete idiot if you go astray,
in this sick world I'm ready to embrace my "idiocy" _
                           °
with all due respect to the human race
I'd like to go on with my hypocrisy
I'll ask no-one else
If they approve of me_

I am part of this world

#human #race #hypocrisy #lies #thoughts #memories #night

Arcassin B Dec 2018

Right Quick

By Arcassin Burnham

Time,
Time,
Just Time.
We all,
Will find,
The light.
Time,
Sweet time,
Our lives,
Linger on.
Live it up.
But hold up right quick,
Cracked walls leads to cracked skulls,
Where is the love ?
****** one, plus a few a thousand,
All of the above,
Be a man or get kicked out , or get beat up,
One life , people will hate , don't you give up,
turn up on these dudes like its your last,
Bypass,
All the ******* they lack,
Ignore them,
One day they will all just fall back,
Steal the show, and be the one to break free,
See they dwell off memories,
While your a future adversary,
See while I'm a free agent you live off food stamps and paper payments,
Do you really wanna question on the subject of what lame is?
***** I have sensitivity issues , whats your excuse?
While you walk around acting like nobody's better than you,
All we have is Time,
Time,
Just Time.
We all,
Will find,
The light.
Time,
Sweet time,
Our lives,
Linger on.
Live it up.
I'm pushing all the boundaries, I swear you could never doubt me,
you wouldn't have entertainment, what would you do without me?
You have your own Posse but you'll never see me alone,
To every man in the world that thinks a gang is his home,
I don't need a ******* army just to say what I have to,
But I won't be that negative stereotypical black dude,
Engaging in conflicts with my own race,
You all are over there but this is my space,
Get out of my way,
Time,
Time,
Just Time.
We all,
Will find,
The light.
Time,
Sweet time,
Our lives,
Linger on.
Live it up,
But hold up right quick.

#words #quick #time #life #indie #lives #pay #race